ACTION OF INDIAN HEMP IN PARALYSIS. 199 
bonate of ammonia was procured; for being entirely without 
medicines and instruments of any kind—not even a syringe 
was procurable to administer an enema—I was practising 
under difficulties. 
On the subsidence of the tympany, together with a profuse 
flow of urine, and after the exhibition of the ammonia, and 
constant fomentation, the owner did not seem to wish any 
aloes to be given, as the case did not appear at that period a 
dangerous one, there being neither much injection of the 
membranes, nor accelerated pulse 5 so I left the patient, 
giving the owner a prescription for an antispasmodic draught, 
combined with oleum lini, to be given at bed-time, if neces¬ 
sary; also with further instructions, that, if any violent 
symptoms set in, I was immediately to be called. 
The owner, however, appeared so satisfied that all was 
right after the animal had staled and passed an immense 
quantity of flatus, that he did not seem to think there was 
much chance of my being wanted again. The orders I had 
given, and the prescription left, showed, however, that I was 
neither so sanguine or sure of the result as he was; the dis¬ 
charge from the nostrils having induced these fears. 
At eleven o’clock at night I was again sent for, and reached 
my patient at twelve. I found the former symptoms had re¬ 
turned ; a distended stomach with all its concomitant sym¬ 
ptoms could be safely diagnosed, and vomition was now a dis¬ 
tinct feature. 
The fomentation was continued by means of blankets 
wrung out of boiling water, and held up against the abdomen 
by a man on either side. After a little difficulty and delay, 
some aloes was procured, and 5viij of the Barbadoes extract 
exhibited in a pint of warm water. Soon after this, all 
attempts at vomition ceased, the usual symptoms antecedent 
to dissolution set in suddenly, and the animal died towards 
morning. I told the owner that in all probability he would 
find the animal's stomach ruptured, and offered at once to 
make a post-mortem examination, to which he consented, 
and before I left the sequel proved satisfactorily to the owner 
the correctness of my diagnosis. 
Ruptured stomach is a very common occurrence in India, 
and last year, when sickness was rife all over India, and 
forage scarce and bad, I had several cases. It has been 
stated, by some author I think, that vomition is “ a sign ” of 
ruptured stomach. I cannot concur in this view. The 
stomach is like a muscle, and when distended beyond its 
power of contraction, .becomes a dead weight, liable to 
rupture itself or the diaphragm at any moment during the 
